Carter stepped into the massive foyer of the Bennett family mansion.
The bright morning daylight poured through the tall glass windows above.
Everything inside the white marble entrance looked calm and peaceful on the surface.
Yet Carter felt a cold shudder run down his spine immediately.
He had returned home early from his business trip in New York.
His grandmother Mrs. Bennett had not answered her telephone for two full days.
That silence made Carter feel deeply worried about her fragile health.
He placed his heavy dark leather bag on the clean floor.
The silence inside the big house felt unnatural and very heavy.
He expected to hear the soft chime of his grandmother's clock.
Instead he only heard his own quiet footsteps against the polished stone.
Carter: Grandmother, are you upstairs in your bedroom?
His voice echoed off the high ceiling without receiving any quick reply.
He walked closer to the curved marble staircase near the entrance.
Suddenly he noticed a strange shadow moving on the upper balcony.
His stepmother Chloe was standing near the top landing looking down.
She wore a bright crimson dress that stood out against the white marble.
Her face looked pale for a moment before she forced a calm smile.
Chloe: Carter, you came back much sooner than we expected.
Carter: Why was my call blocked when I tried reaching this house?
Chloe: The landline system broke down yesterday during the heavy storm.
Carter: Where is Grandmother right now?
Chloe: She is sleeping deeply after taking her afternoon medicine.
Carter narrowed his eyes because Chloe avoided his direct gaze.
He knew Chloe had wanted total control of the family estate for years.
The Bennett inheritance was worth millions of dollars in land and investments.
Mrs. Bennett had always guarded the family trust fund with great care.
She never trusted Chloe after her late son passed away five years ago.
Carter took two slow steps toward the bottom of the grand stairs.
Carter: I want to see her right now with my own eyes.
Chloe: You should not disturb her rest while she feels weak.
Carter: She always wakes up whenever I come home from a trip.
Chloe placed her manicured hands tightly on the top wooden railing.
Her dark eyes flashed with an intense look of nervous panic.
Chloe: I am telling you that she needs complete quiet today.
Carter did not listen to her warnings and kept walking forward.
He felt in his heart that something terrible was being hidden away.